The Pet Care Trust - News Releases

The Board of Trustees of the Pet Care Trust met on March 12 & 13, 2000, at the site of PIDA's Pet Expo 2000 Trade Show, Tampa, Florida. Trustees Andy Schmidt, Mark Hagen, Carol Frank, Lew Sutton and Jim Wingate, discussed and selected grant proposals for the year 2000 grants cycle. After serious review, $91,740, was awarded to seven recipients. Since 1996, 39 grants and awards valued at $303,120 have been given by the Pet Industry's non-profit research and education Foundation, the Pet Care Trust. The 2000 awards include:

Shenandoah University - nursing school rehabilitation program using animal assisted therapy;
The Alex Foundation - parrot behavior research to educate owners to provide suitable homes;
UC Davis & Texas A&M Colleges of Vet Med - diagnostic tools for detecting companion bird disease;
Las Vegas Natural History Museum - schools education about keeping pet invertebrate animals;
Auburn University - national disease prevention effort - myths and realities of zoonotic disease;
American Humane Assoc./Delta Society - animal welfare standards for animal assisted therapy;
WA State College Vet Med - canine therapy to assist in working with autistic children (year II).

All of these projects have social implications which include the health and welfare of pets and human interaction with companion animals. The 2000 grants continue in the Board of Trustee's efforts to deal with cutting edge issues that benefit society and fulfill the Trust Foundation's mission to promote public understanding and enhance knowledge about the enjoyment and value of companion animals in our lives.

Past grants continue to flourish. With $5,000 Pet Care Trust grants in 1997-'98, the Providence Rescue League and Childrens Museum receive over 100,000 visitors each year to the Animal Responsibility exhibit, and that prototype has spread to other museums and shelters. The Tufts University, 1997 "Pets and Human Health" Conference has connected medical, veterinary and companion animals groups, including the Eden Alternative (animals in nursing homes) with the Pet Care Trust to collaborate on several programs. Parrot adoption manuals, service dog training protocols, animal care in natural disasters, and animals WEB page for schools, are just a few additional ongoing projects funded by the Pet Industry's generous donations.

The Board of Trustees continue to reduce foundation administration costs and to expand the funding for programs. They will meet again at an industry show in July at WWPSA Long Beach. Trustees pay their own expenses, so meetings at trade shows is a mutual benefit to all. Joining the Board in July will be Charles Miller, V.P., Jungle Laboratories, who was recently appointed by APPMA to complete Harvey Feinberg's term. Special thanks to Harvey for all his work and insights, and to all Board members past and present.

Preview of Next Months Pet Care Trust Press Release: Since July, 1998, 365 school teachers have attended full day Animals in the Classroom Workshops at 11 U.S. sites and received Teacher's Pet Certificates. Seven more programs are scheduled in CA, NJ, RI, ID, WI and WA for the balance of 2000.

New Office Address and Contact for Information: Contact John Pitts, DVM, Program Coordinator, The Pet Care Trust, 3951 Leland Valley Rd. West, Quilcene, WA 98376. jlpitts@olympus.net; fax 360-765-3399.